Modern crystallography is an interdisciplinary subject covering structural biology, pharmacy and chemistry to physics and materials science. It includes the study of protein structures and also the crystals structures and microstructures of minerals, new functional materials, nanoparticles, bulk materials, and thin films. It is interested also in the relationship between the structure and function of materials. Important related topics is development of instrumental techniques for structural characterization of materials including large facilities XFELs, synchrotrons and neutron sources but also continuous improvement of laboratory equipments, development of optics, better and faster detectors.

The core methods of crystallography are X-ray and neutron scattering. However, mainly in last decade, it includes electron diffraction and microscopy, NMR and different spectroscopies. This development also allows investigation of structural changes under extreme conditions such as high and low temperatures, high pressures, time-resolved studies, different in-situ experiments in external fields (magnetic, electric), chemical reactions.

The scope of the congress comprises all this. Moreover, this is the 25th anniversary congress and completes one era of these congresses that started in 1948.

All the organizers and IPC will do the best in setting up an attractive programme covering the latest advances in crystallography and related sciences to attract both young and senior scientists as well as companies.

The inauguration of the Congress will take place on the evening of August 22, 2020 followed by seven full days of scientific sessions, 8-9 in parallel, in maximum. The closing ceremony will take place in the evening of August 29. Workshops (half and full day) can be held on August 21-22, and also on August 30, after the congress.